In compliance with the United Nations’ goals , the Ministry of Rural Development considers it important to celebrate the World Day of Water each year, since Europe’s largest sweet water resourse is to be found here, in the heart of the Carpathian basin, in Hungary - explained Mr. Sandor Fazekas, Minister of Rural Development at the opening ceremony of the World Day of Water.

The Minister went on saying that careful planning, forecast, highly trained professionals, hard work, well organized offices of Water Management, well maintained sewage systems, flood-gates and dams, flood area reservoirs are needed, so water could be considered truly our precious resource and should not be damaged by flood or inland water.

Each year on the twenty second of March a greater attention is paid to protect our crucial national resource, our water supply. Today special attention should be given to the relationship between water and the cities which has been playing an important role in the history of mankind. In the Developing Countries twenty seven percent of city dwellers don’t have running water and every fourth city dweller has to do without adequate public water utility system. In addition to this, these areas are haunted by frequent epidemics. Compared to this Hungary’s statistics compares favourably with the European average standard.

In Hungary the population’s 99% is provided by drinking water from a public running water system. The number of homes provided by public drinking water system has reached 95% recently. A further 4% of homes are provided by drinking water from public wells located at reasonable distances. The number of sewage-systems has been gradually increasing in our country. Today, an average Hungarian citizen uses 110 liters of running drinking water daily.

Hungary hosts such outstanding European events as the conference on the „Future of European Water Supply” organized jointly with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the informal meeting of the Environmental Protection’s council members.

During these events 27 member states’ leading experts have been discussing such important issues as the water supply’s place and role in EU policies and the future of European water supplies. The UN’s 47th General Assembly declared March 22 the World Day of Water in 1992. The member states’ goals were to call attention to the issue that the sweet water supplies of Earth is not infinite. The World Day is highlighting each year a different aspect of this indispensable and vital element. This year’s slogan is „ water for the cities, cities for water” The Ministry of Rural Development considers it extremely important to call attention to the protection of the water supply of Earth. It is crucial to join hands and to change every day habits. With the conscious use of water and reasonable saving habits everyone can contribute to the protection of our inherently vital natural resources.

(Ministry of Rural Development, Press Office)